Grant Rant

[Pippa1703]

So I looked up the first time mum grant, the one time £500. Big fucking surprise its yet another thing that im not entitled to. Why the fuck do I work all hours to be told im not entitled to any help whatsoever. Im already worse off on maternity for having the cheek to be self-employed.

My OH earns a decent packet, £26K. That wage and mine just about covers the mortgage, loan payments, bills. Etc The money we live on is from his second job which is as a personal carer. Thats only an extra 5k a year (We have an elderly gent with learning disabilities stay at our house a coupke days a week.) So with his job, my job, and the second job, thats a combined 100-120 hours a week yet we dont have anywhere near the disposable income of someone living single, in a free house with a free 500quid, all the tax credits under the sun and god knows what else.

Why the fuck do we bother.

 

[hayes]

I just looked it up too hun, but like you said with me and hubby working thats a no to us then!! Didnt think i wud get any help tho.

Michelle. x

 

[Jodie_2013]

We also cant get it... Pippa if you see my status on FB its basically saying what you are right now...fuming! x

 

[Pippa1703]

I just looked and your right. MPs getting extra bonuses on wages while money continues to go into the pockets of undeserving scroungers, benefit cheats and foreigners that, as well as their families, have never contributed a skill or a penny to this country.

Meanwhile, true victims of the credit crunch, laid off workers, the elderly, the disabled, immigrants with intent and skills but nowhere to use them, are all worse off.

Full time working class folks-you're getting shafted more than anyone, what a bunch of mugs!
We're paying through the arse to be worse off than we've ever been while the services that we're paying MORE for, are either being cut, reduced or just not for the likes of us anyway!

 

[LauraMummyToBe]

I totally agree with what you're saying Pippa but to say that people who are single parents/unemployed parents are getting "free" houses, that's not the case AT ALL. Me and my OH have been on the housing for the past 6 months so it is just as hard to find a home on the housing as it is to find one on a mortgage. The "free" comment was a bit ridiculous, we still have to pay rent, bills and whatever else every other person pays so it isn't "free" at all. But I do agree that all people should be entitled to the Maternity Grant of £500, as it does help everyone no matter what their situation is.

Sorry if I sound as if I'm having a go, I just hate being made to sound like a "free-loader" as if me and my OH aren't working because we get it "free". That's totally not the case.

 

[loopylou83]

It really annoys me too! You try and do the right thing in this country and all you get is punished whilst everyone claiming benefits gets loads of extra help etc! My OH and I are both on about 18000 each and work 40 hours each per week- I'm going to end up in debt whilst on maternity to pay for the rent etc whilst someone who hasn't done a days work in their lives gets financial help left right and centre- it frustrates me so much! I'm 29 now so have been working full time -with the exception of 3 years at uni- which again I paid for as my parents worked, god forbid! - for over 10 years- its a joke really! Rant over haha! X

 

[Geekachublog]

My OH and I are on pretty low salaries, but just enough above the threshold not to qualify for any help at all.
We are too poor to afford to buy a house but not poor enough that we can get any help from anyone. Seems that this grant is another one of those things that falls into that category too.

It's so hard keeping your head above water when you get penalised for working full time, soul destroying.

 

[Sweetiepie1309]

I couldn't agree more Pippa! On paper it looks as though me and hubby have a good income but it's just not the case at all once we've paid rent, bills, council tax etc and eventually childcare bills! We're not entitled to anything and in my job as a children's social worker I see everyday how the other half live and their houses are filled with more expensive things than mine despite the fact they can't take care of their kids!! It's totally f'd up xx

 

[Beauandhamish]

This really annoys me as well, I think everyone should be entitled to the grant. We also just earn enough that we are classed as just above the threshold, we do own our own house but it needs a lot doing to it and by the time we have paid the mortgage, bills and done a few bits to the house there is not a lot of money left over. Will be even less when I'm on maternity leave and I'm already worrying about how we are going to cope x

 

[Pippa1703]

I totally agree with what you're saying Pippa but to say that people who are single parents/unemployed parents are getting "free" houses, that's not the case AT ALL. Me and my OH have been on the housing for the past 6 months so it is just as hard to find a home on the housing as it is to find one on a mortgage. The "free" comment was a bit ridiculous, we still have to pay rent, bills and whatever else every other person pays so it isn't "free" at all. But I do agree that all people should be entitled to the Maternity Grant of £500, as it does help everyone no matter what their situation is.

Sorry if I sound as if I'm having a go, I just hate being made to sound like a "free-loader" as if me and my OH aren't working because we get it "free". That's totally not the case.

Ilk take your point and say that maybe free isnt the most appropriate word. But the rent is massively subsidised and council tax is obsolete.(I think? Correct me if im wrong)
I was careful with my wording, not everyone that uses the benefit system is a scrounger, todays economy is hard. I had benefits help myself for 8months about 6years ago when I was made redundant. The day I got my forms through I went and bought some new glasses because it was suddenly 90% cheaper, while id been working, I couldn't afford to fucking see properly! Can you see whats wrong here?

My point is if I didnt work id get no help becaide my partner works. If we both packed in all the work we do we'd get benefits thrown at us, I know we would still struggle, but we wouldnt be slaving our arses off for 120hours a week for the pleasure!

My niece cant go to work because her and her partner would LOSE money if she did. The system is a joke.

 

[sophiestars]

It is a joke hun. I got made redundant shortly before finding out I was pregnant and have not been able to get another job since as nobody wants to employ a pregnant woman..I have actually been told this at interviews too believe it or not! I am not entitled to ANY benefits: no jsa, no income support, no housing benefit, no maternity allowance nothing. Basically because we live together and my OH works full time they say he can support me. They dont take into account the £700 rent and all the bills he has to pay! They just see that on paper he earns 26K! Makes me so furious the system is soooo mucked up..if he was to leave me or his job we would get everything chucked at us but being hardworking & honest gets you nowhere unfortunetly! Chin up hunny xxx

 

[Pippa1703]

It is a joke hun. I got made redundant shortly before finding out I was pregnant and have not been able to get another job since as nobody wants to employ a pregnant woman..I have actually been told this at interviews too believe it or not! I am not entitled to ANY benefits: no jsa, no income support, no housing benefit, no maternity allowance nothing. Basically because we live together and my OH works full time they say he can support me. They dont take into account the £700 rent and all the bills he has to pay! They just see that on paper he earns 26K! Makes me so furious the system is soooo mucked up..if he was to leave me or his job we would get everything chucked at us but being hardworking & honest gets you nowhere unfortunetly! Chin up hunny xxx

My oh is on the same wage, if I stopped working, it wouldnt take long for his house to be repossessed.

 

[LauraMummyToBe]

It really annoys me too! You try and do the right thing in this country and all you get is punished whilst everyone claiming benefits gets loads of extra help etc! My OH and I are both on about 18000 each and work 40 hours each per week- I'm going to end up in debt whilst on maternity to pay for the rent etc whilst someone who hasn't done a days work in their lives gets financial help left right and centre- it frustrates me so much! I'm 29 now so have been working full time -with the exception of 3 years at uni- which again I paid for as my parents worked, god forbid! - for over 10 years- its a joke really! Rant over haha! X

LoopyLou, we don't get as much "extra help" as you think. We don't get anything for free as some people think we do. As much as we don't work so to speak, we work in a way of looking for a job, but in this society it isn't really that easy at all. I'm really trying to get back into work as a personal care worker but with being pregnant it really isn't all that easy with the policy of moving and handling the service users. Some employers don't want to employ a pregnant woman as they believe it won't be worth their time as we'll just be having to leave for maternity. So... We're hard done by too... Just in different ways. X

 

[twinkle90]

Hiw can i check to see if im entitled?xxx

 

[sophiestars]

https://www.gov.uk/sure-start-maternity-grant/overview

xx

 

[LauraMummyToBe]

I totally agree with what you're saying Pippa but to say that people who are single parents/unemployed parents are getting "free" houses, that's not the case AT ALL. Me and my OH have been on the housing for the past 6 months so it is just as hard to find a home on the housing as it is to find one on a mortgage. The "free" comment was a bit ridiculous, we still have to pay rent, bills and whatever else every other person pays so it isn't "free" at all. But I do agree that all people should be entitled to the Maternity Grant of £500, as it does help everyone no matter what their situation is.

Sorry if I sound as if I'm having a go, I just hate being made to sound like a "free-loader" as if me and my OH aren't working because we get it "free". That's totally not the case.

Ilk take your point and say that maybe free isnt the most appropriate word. But the rent is massively subsidised and council tax is obsolete.(I think? Correct me if im wrong)
I was careful with my wording, not everyone that uses the benefit system is a scrounger, todays economy is hard. I had benefits help myself for 8months about 6years ago when I was made redundant. The day I got my forms through I went and bought some new glasses because it was suddenly 90% cheaper, while id been working, I couldn't afford to fucking see properly! Can you see whats wrong here?

My point is if I didnt work id get no help becaide my partner works. If we both packed in all the work we do we'd get benefits thrown at us, I know we would still struggle, but we wouldnt be slaving our arses off for 120hours a week for the pleasure!

My niece cant go to work because her and her partner would LOSE money if she did. The system is a joke.

The council tax isn't obsolete, we still have to pay it. Maybe not as much as other people do (which I think is wrong, I think everyone should pay the same regardless to the size of their home or whatever.) Rent is massively subsided but then again, we still pay a fair amount. Council homes aren't just for the unemployed, everyone has the choice to live in council rented properties, private rented or get a mortgage... So either way it is really down to the person and what they decide to do/what they decide they'd like to pay. No, not everyone is a scrounger I totally agree with you, it is just really tough out there at the minute, it is literally survival of the fittest so to speak. Suppose me and my other half are being beaten to the punch somehow! Maybe we have to up our game/change our tactics.

I completely agree hun, prescriptions and other stuff do come astonishingly cheap when you're on the benefits system, I paid £20 for my glasses whereas when I was working I would have had to pay £100 for them which is scandalous.

I think it is silly that if you didn't work but your partner does they say you're not allowed the grant, a first time mother... Is a first time mother FULL STOP. No, not every mother is the same, but they should be treated the same, totally. What I can get, you should be able to get, money is just paper... It goes out of your banks as quickly as it goes into them. I have to scrimp on a hell of a lot of things because they're not priority. I don't buy new clothes all the time, I don't get my hair/nails done all the time, I don't splurge on myself. I save what I have left over when I've done my shopping and bought my crucial bits. I put it all in a separate account, all of that is for our baby. So it is really hard for us as well as it is for you working class people. You might say that you're envious of all the things we're entitled to, but we're envious of you too, we want the jobs you have!

I have been in your niece's situation, it is a complete joke and most of the time it leaves you in a catch 22. :/ x

 

[twinkle90]

SHOCK!! not entitled!!! Its bloody silly that to claim extra bit of cash you have to be on benefits or out of a job!! Or atleast work less than 16 hours a week. Just because some of us have decent hour jobs doesnt mean that we dont need the extra help.xxx

 

[Littlesammy]

Laura, your comment that everyone has the choice to live in a council home, private rented or get a mortgage is incorrect. The council and housing association won't even put us on their register as we both work full time. I have no choice but to live in private rented accommodation (unless we both give up work) and paying £750 a month in rent makes it hard to save for a mortgage deposit. The annoying thing is we know a couple in the same apartment block who are on housing association and don't work. Their rent is over £300 cheaper than ours and they have help with the council tax.

 

[LauraMummyToBe]

Laura, your comment that everyone has the choice to live in a council home, private rented or get a mortgage is incorrect. The council and housing association won't even put us on their register as we both work full time. I have no choice but to live in private rented accommodation (unless we both give up work) and paying £750 a month in rent makes it hard to save for a mortgage deposit. The annoying thing is we know a couple in the same apartment block who are on housing association and don't work. Their rent is over £300 cheaper than ours and they have help with the council tax.

Well when I was working full time I went to the housing and they signed me up no problems at all. So I don't know which association you went to but my local council had no issue. We don't get help with anything at all, we pay our own rent, we pay our own bills, we pay our own council tax. But some people just need more help than others I suppose Sammy.

 

[Jodie_2013]

Laura, your comment that everyone has the choice to live in a council home, private rented or get a mortgage is incorrect. The council and housing association won't even put us on their register as we both work full time. I have no choice but to live in private rented accommodation (unless we both give up work) and paying £750 a month in rent makes it hard to save for a mortgage deposit. The annoying thing is we know a couple in the same apartment block who are on housing association and don't work. Their rent is over £300 cheaper than ours and they have help with the council tax.

Yes your right. It isnt an option unfortunately things are not that easy.
and rented is just as bad we were paying over £500 a month renting now with a mortgage only £325 but hardly anyone can afford a deposit for a mortgage these days.